Phytochemistry, Anti-cancer, and Anti-diabetic Properties of Plant-Based Foods from Mexican Agrobiodiversity: A Review

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cancer are significant contributors to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recent studies have increasingly highlighted the potential of phytochemicals found in plants and plant-based foods for preventing and treating these chronic diseases. Mexico’s agrobiodiversity provides a valuable resource for phytochemistry. This review presents an examination of essential phytochemicals found in plants and foods within Mexican agrobiodiversity that have shown promising anti-cancer and anti-diabetic properties, including their roles as antioxidants, insulin sensitizers, and enzyme inhibitors. Notable compounds identified include flavonoids (such as quercetin and catechins), phenolic acids (chlorogenic, gallic, and caffeic acids), methylxanthines (like theobromine), xanthones (such as mangiferin), capsaicinoids (capsaicin), organosulfur compounds (like alliin), and various lipids (avocatins). Although these phytochemicals have shown promise in laboratory and animal studies, there is a significant scarcity of clinical trial data involving humans, underscoring an important area for future research.